Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has confirmed that former head coach Huub Stevens may rejoin the club in some capacity.
Stevens was sacked in December after a poor run of results that saw the side plummet down the Bundesliga table.
But Heldt revealed he has held with the Dutchman about a possible return to Gelsenkirchen.
"I'm careful with my statements as regards to what happens behind the scenes here, but yes, we told him (Stevens) some of our ideas and there is no absolute refusal on his part," Heldt said.
"However, his job at Schalke would be as a manager or something else of that description, but he has to be sure about.
"So, that's why he requested some time to consider. So in near future, we will receive his decision. Then we'll see how it goes.
"But at this moment, we can't say more about it, only that it was a really good and nice conversation."
Meanwhile, the man currently in the Schalke hotseat, Jens Keller, said that he wants his side to fight for 'every possible point' as they look to finish in the UEFA Champions League spots.
Fifth-placed Schalke will expect to get all three when they host struggling Hoffenheim at the Veltins Arena on Saturday.
"We only look at the next game. We have eight more to play and these are eight very important games," Keller said.
"We want to gain every possible point and stay at the top. Now we see every single game as a very important game, but as I said before, it's not over until the very end.
"And after the game tomorrow, we'll carry on and won't stop."
